Definition
Egosurfing is the action of looking up your name on the web. Ego surfers try to find what information is publicly accessible about them or to track their digital reputation.
It entails searching one’s name on search engines, blogs, social media platforms, and other digital platforms where personal data may be published or cited.
Dangers of Egosurfing
- Beware of scams: Some websites may promise to offer further details at a cost. Such sites may be fraudulent or attempt to steal your credit card information.
- Loss of privacy: You may end up on sites monitoring your data or placing cookies in your web browser, leading to privacy violations.
- Emotional effect: Identifying erroneous or negative details about oneself may be distressing and affect an individual’s mental health.
- Waste of time: Egosurfing can be time-consuming. This is visible when someone is more bothered by keeping their online image, which results in spending lots of time trying to manage what others say about them online.
- Identity theft: By validating your personal information on some dubious sites, you may unknowingly help identity theft criminals to compile your details.